Last night in class we discussed both Taiwan and America’s presidential elections. We touched on the events that led to the election of Mr. Chen in 2000 and again in 2004 with a little bit of a dirty trick and Bush’s ‘stealing’ of the election from Gore in 2000 with the help of his brother Jeb Bush (governor of Florida), and the supreme court justices (his father’s appointees) and his manipulation of Americans’ fears to remain in office in 2004. Both countries have suffered under the current leadership (or, more accurately, lack of leadership). According to a Jan. 4th, 2008 article in the Executive Intelligence Review, America’s economy is worse now than in a very long time according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Under Bush/Cheney, America’s manufacturing sector has seen a loss of over 3,000,000 jobs (that’s 3 MILLION) with total unemployment at around 13 million. The only real job creation the US 
has seen in the past 8 years, is Bush’s expanding of the government- by more than 1 million jobs. Ah, a larger government, so nice. The Department of Homeland Security, Bush’s brainchild has made life a living hell for travelers and people wanting to study in the US. Go Bush! (The national debt (caused mainly by government spending), which Bush vowed to pay off in his first State of the Nation address in 2001, has risen from 2 trillion in 2001 to about 5 trillion today.) Check out The Truth about George.
Talking about bad decisions, Taiwan’s unemployment is also rising, and Taiwan is experiencing brain-drain and skill-drain to China at an ever increasing rate as more and more companies move manufacturing to China and foreign companies see little reason to remain in a country with a petty president who has made life difficult for his countrymen through impertinent decisions which have little more effect than to stir up emotions. National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, formerly CKS Memorial Hall, is a good example. Oh, and Taoyuan International Airport, formerly CKS International. Leaders who change names of places are not favorably looked upon- remember the Cultural Revolution in China? This petty naming of things has accomplished nothing internationally, other than to confuse already disoriented foreign visitors who find navigating Taipei practically impossible due to road name changes every few years, public service providers which have no English ability or translations, and impossible signage- not to mention the Taipei train station maze.
As for 2008, everyone remains hopeful that the upcoming change of leadership will provide a fresh start, a re-boot, as it were. The US is itching to move away from the current insular ‘we-are-a-nation-under-attack’ administration and begin repairing our Bush-shredded foreign diplomacy. (Foreign diplomacy under Bush seems to have been bomb and invade.) Oh, right, America used to have foreign diplomacy. America used to have close ties with several nations around the world. Bush’s reign has caused the loss of almost all America’s allies and has caused deep hatred and made Americans walking targets the world over.
On a lighter side, Bush, and his seeming lack of education, has supplied the world with the most ridiculously funny speaking errors, mistakes, grammar abuse, and just plain stupidity in the history of our great nation. Slate magazine has a complete list with many links to the video of Bush making his amazing statements. There are no shortages of sites featuring these great quotes, including About.com.
The 2008 elections are on March 22nd, here in Taiwan and on Nov. 4th in the US.
Vote and make yourself heard!
has seen in the past 8 years, is Bush’s expanding of the government- by more than 1 million jobs. Ah, a larger government, so nice. The Department of Homeland Security, Bush’s brainchild has made life a living hell for travelers and people wanting to study in the US. Go Bush! (The national debt (caused mainly by government spending), which Bush vowed to pay off in his first State of the Nation address in 2001, has risen from 2 trillion in 2001 to about 5 trillion today.) Check out The Truth about George.
Talking about bad decisions, Taiwan’s unemployment is also rising, and Taiwan is experiencing brain-drain and skill-drain to China at an ever increasing rate as more and more companies move manufacturing to China and foreign companies see little reason to remain in a country with a petty president who has made life difficult for his countrymen through impertinent decisions which have little more effect than to stir up emotions. National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, formerly CKS Memorial Hall, is a good example. Oh, and Taoyuan International Airport, formerly CKS International. Leaders who change names of places are not favorably looked upon- remember the Cultural Revolution in China? This petty naming of things has accomplished nothing internationally, other than to confuse already disoriented foreign visitors who find navigating Taipei practically impossible due to road name changes every few years, public service providers which have no English ability or translations, and impossible signage- not to mention the Taipei train station maze.
As for 2008, everyone remains hopeful that the upcoming change of leadership will provide a fresh start, a re-boot, as it were. The US is itching to move away from the current insular ‘we-are-a-nation-under-attack’ administration and begin repairing our Bush-shredded foreign diplomacy. (Foreign diplomacy under Bush seems to have been bomb and invade.) Oh, right, America used to have foreign diplomacy. America used to have close ties with several nations around the world. Bush’s reign has caused the loss of almost all America’s allies and has caused deep hatred and made Americans walking targets the world over.
On a lighter side, Bush, and his seeming lack of education, has supplied the world with the most ridiculously funny speaking errors, mistakes, grammar abuse, and just plain stupidity in the history of our great nation. Slate magazine has a complete list with many links to the video of Bush making his amazing statements. There are no shortages of sites featuring these great quotes, including About.com.
The 2008 elections are on March 22nd, here in Taiwan and on Nov. 4th in the US.
Vote and make yourself heard!
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